#post-whump

[herb-whump]

Care

Some early post-rescue stuff with Ilai and Cody.

No heavy tws, only medical and bit of self deprecation.

Enjoy, and now i will disappear for three months again

I also have once again forgot how to do read more on mobile so excuse me TwT

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Waking up in an unfamiliar place was a bit shocking for Cody. It seems he fainted, while on Ilai's knees. Opening his eyes, he saw a white ceiling, with equally bright also white lamps. Lowering his sight, he looked around himself. A lone blue curtain on the right, and a wall on the left. Cody was laying in a hospital bed, with tubes around him. Slightly panicked he jumped in the bed. His jaw was wired shut, immobilized completely. With pale fingers, he grabbed the curtain and pulled it back. Seeing other patients, his fear was at least a bit lowered. But that didn't mean he liked any of this.

- Ah! You woke up... That's good. - Ilai walked into the room with Max again. - The doc wouldn't tell us much, because we're not family. But since you woke up that must be a good sign.

- I mean your not dead, that's enough to be a good sign. No one knows your name though... And now you can't really tell us... - Max sighed, crossing her arms.

Cody looked around again. He only could let out a quiet 'mhm'. Eyes upon the pair, still full of fear.

- It will be okay, man. I promise. Um... Maybe u could write your name down? So at least we know how to call you. - Ilai started rummaging through his pockets looking for any pen and paper. He only found a pen though. - Okay so maybe just write it on my arm. - he held out the pen to Cody.

The boy slowly wrote his name on the punk's skin and looked up at him.

- So... Cody! - he smiled gently.

- Cody. We will remember you for sure. - Max laughed along. - You gave us quite the fright. Doc said you will probably be released soon, if you need a place to stay then just say so. Or rather just nod. - She shrugged with a smile, Cody nodding as she asked.

-Wait, Max, did you eavesdrop on the doctors? They wouldn't let Me know anything. God, you're such an ass. - Ilai couldn't help but laugh at the woman. Cody smiled lightly.

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Their flat wasn't very big, but it was enough for Cody. He barely knew them but he felt the best he ever did with anyone. His jaw was still wired shut to heal, but at least Cody could smile a bit.

- So, tell me, buddy, you either caaan sleep together with me in one bed~ as two bros do. Or just on my bed... Alone. I will be on the couch then. - Ilai hugged him from behind, he was much taller than him

- Don't listen to him, he will just sleep on the couch. You're the sick one here, you need rest.

- But Maaaaxiieeeee

- Worst case scenario I will sleep with him, he is my brother after all. - She sighed, with a hand on her forehead in embarrassment.

Oh. They are siblings. Cody thought they were a couple this whole time. No matter though, he didn't want Ilai to be uncomfortable. Since they got him a notepad, he wrote "We can sleep together in one bed. I don't mind", to the surprise of the siblings.

- W-well I was half-joking. But if you don't mind then it will be the most comfortable, since I have a big bed. - Ilai laughed, while his cheeks were bright pink.

Cody didn't have any clothes of his own, so right now he was wearing too-big clothes from Ilai. He sat him down on the big bed in his room. It wasn't... Big per se. But spacious. Light blue walls, a closet hidden in a wall, a big window with half-dead plants on the windowsill, a fluffy gray carpet, right next to the bed a modern-looking desk with a computer on it. Cody rarely had a chance to look at technology like that, not to mention even touching it. Seeing his interest Ilai's eyes lit up.

- Do you like it? Maybe we can play games together while you recover! I will beat you for sure though - His laugh filled the room - okay okay maaaybe I will go easy on you for a few first times.

Cody wrote on his notepad - "I never played any video games before. "

- Wait you're kidding right? No? Jesus. What were you doing in your childhood? Well, no matter, I will teach you and show you a bunch of games. We have a console in the living room too. - Ilai ruffled the boy's hair, which prompted him to squint and tense - Hey you good?

- mmhm... - Cody let his muscles relax finally. He looked up at Ilai. He wasn't going to hurt him, wasn't he?

He already entrusted his health to him and now he's living with him. He could do whatever he wanted to Cody. IF he wanted.

But he showed nothing but kindness to his worthless self. He kneeled on the floor and hugged the punk's legs. Squeezing himself tightly to them, while a confused expression painted his face.

- Cody...? - The brunette blushed lightly, slowly lowering his hand onto his head, again, the boy's eyes squeezed shut, but when the gentle touch went down to his cheeks, and brushed against his pale skin, with such tenderness...

Cody opened his eyes, finally letting himself cry. Ilai didn't know how to react, unsure how to console the boy, he sat down on the floor and put his arms around him.

- Whatever had happened... I will not let it happen again. I promise... It's okay now... You're safe.

[ashintheairlikesnow]

“You were never meant to see me like this”

CW: Referenced past pet whump and noncon, referenced alcohol use/hangover

TIMELINE: Post-No Matter What, one year after Oliver Branch’s death

When he comes back into his room, two plates layered with Jake’s hash browns and fried eggs balanced in his hands, Laken is up and pulling their binder on over their head, carefully working the tight black fabric down to where the hem sits just at their ribcage. Their back is to him, and like always Chris is struck at the way they’re so utterly, amazingly perfect.

“Oooh, is that breakfast?” They glance over their shoulder at him, eyeliner smudged at the corners of their eyes, nose ring catching the sunlight coming through the blinds. “I’m starving. What’d Jake make us?”

“Um... hash-... hashbrowns and, and, and eggs. Over-easy, like, like you-you-you like.” Chris sets their plate down. “Over hard for, for me.”

“Yeah, ‘cause you’re a wimp,” Laken teases, and if it weren’t for his pounding headache and how even after three glasses of water his tongue still feels like dry dead weight in his mouth, it would be like last night never even happened.

But-... it did.

“Please, please tell me he at least gave you-”

“Hot sauce? Here, here, here you go.” He digs the little bottle full of fiery red from a pocket and tosses it to them. They sigh in gratitude and relief.

“Excellent. Thanks. Oooh, coffee.” Laken takes a drink, makes a face. “Lukewarm.”

“Well, it’s, it’s, it’s been here awhile, I can get-... I can get fresh-”

“No, that’s cool. Thanks for it. I’m just gonna drink it really fast. You’re probably on cup, what, four? Can you feel the movement of the earth yet?”

“No, but, but, I could-... last night.” Chris presses his lips together. Things are too much a blur - he knows he drank too much, he knows what he tried to get Laken to do. He knows that-

That he misses his Sir, is sad that he’s gone so far that Chris could never go back to him, slide back into Baldur, give up and forget himself completely if he wanted to. Not that he does. But-...

He knows that Oliver is still dead, and that he drank himself sick trying to forget and remember him, and he tried to be good for Laken, and...

“I’m, um, sor-... sorry about, about last night,” He says as they sit cross-legged on his bed, wearing the binder and a pair of boxer short underwear. They look up at him, a bit of heavy black hair falling over their forehead, the shaved sides short enough to see hints of scalp through. 

They’re handsome, and beautiful.

And he’s a broken toy.

We love you, Chris, whether you like it or not. You’re stuck with a couple of fucked-up brothers and Laken, too. We’re all choosing you.

Jake’s words downstairs echo in his mind and he tries to stand himself up taller, to look stronger. Like someone who doubts himself less than he really does.

“It’s okay,” Laken says, softly.

“No, it’s, it’s it’s not. You’re not... you weren’t supposed to, to, to see me like... that.” Chris sits down next to them and slumps a little, hands between his knees. “I’m supposed to, to to not-... to not do that any, um, anymore.”

“Yeah, well. You did. Shit pops back up even if you want it gone. I’m still here.” Laken reaches over and takes one of his hands in theirs, pulls it up to their lips, presses a kiss to the back of it. Their hand and lips are warm. Warmer than Chris ever is.

“I just-... don’t, um, do that. Normally. And I haven’t, haven’t tried to to to-”

You can choose to be good or choose to be hurt, trainee

“-come on to someone in... in, in, in a long time.”

“I know. I know you, Chris. Not-... everything, and I’ll never ask to know what you don’t want to tell me, but... I know you.” Laken kisses his hand again. “I know that you’re kind, and gentle, and climb trees and do backflips and love that stupid show about the fucking French Revolution even though, objectively speaking, what is the fucking appeal, they don’t even win-... Chris, that question does not require an answer... but I know you. And it’s-all-gone-to-shit-you is still you you. And that’s who I love.”

Chris smiles, a little, down at his feet. “I, I, I love you, too.”

“Good. Now let’s eat these hashbrowns before they’re colder than my coffee.”

“It’s not, not, not my fault you slept so late.”

“Chris, I was up taking care of you, it is literally your fault-”

He takes the hot sauce right out of their hand and they laugh and throw themself at him to get it back.